Chapter 2: The Monk
"What thoughts have you on this predicament, Hector?" Jack asked his first mate as they watched the ships of the Hospitaler's sail into the night.
"We've no good choices, cap'n." Barbossa turned to Jack with a meaningful look. "If he's tellin' the truth."
"Why's he want the bird?" Wheels were clicking in Jack's mind. There were always more reasons than were given in a thing like this.
"As I see it, cap'n, "Why" isn't our concern." Barbossa looked back out to the night shrouded sea. "He wants it enough to come out here and find us. Enough to risk a fight. Enough to risk the wrath of two pirate lords."
"Aye. All that's true." Jack glanced at Barbossa. "But there are others involved. Poison's not the only thing that could kill us in the next week. What do you know about this Order he's part of?"
"They were crusaders six-hundred year ago. Ever since then they've fought the Muslims and more recently they've fought the pirates of these waters." Barbossa scratched his beard. "I know a man that might be able to help in more ways than one."
"It'll take at least a day to get to Tripoli. With no more than seven to get the job done I don't think we have the time to visit with any old friends."
"Aye, cap'n. But this one's on our way." Barbossa went to the compass and checked their heading. "And besides, Jack, he might be able to solve our little problem too."
"On our way eh?" Jack considered a moment. "All right, Hector. We'll call on this old friend of yours. But tell me somethin'. How do you know this Alamgir the whats-it?"
"Alamgir the Merciless. Aye. I know him." Barbossa spit over the rail to show his feelings. "He and I sailed together a few year ago. He's dangerous, Jack. Some say he's mad. Has a big stone fort for a house. Last I heard of him he had two other captains sailin' under his colors."
"Why'd you part ways as it were?"
"He opened up a broadside on me while we were in the middle of fight with the Knights. Them fellas that just left maybe," Barbossa said with a half smile. "He thought I was sportin' with one of his wives."
"Hector?" Jacks eyes danced and his gold teeth gleamed in the moonlight. "Were you?"
"No. I wouldn't have nothin' to do with her." Barbossa smiled back. "It was another one I was beddin'."
"I'm proud of you, Hector," Jack said warmly. "But time is wasting. Can't dilly dally here all night reminiscing over past loves. Set our course if you would and lets get under sail."
The Pearl's sails were set and caught the night wind. Over the Mediterranean they sped. By morning they had come in sight of a speck of an island that, as Barbossa had promised, was on their way to Tripoli. They let the wind out of their sails and dropped anchor just off the narrow, rocky beach. Jack and Hector were rowed ashore in the long boat and instructing their men to stay on the beach they started a weary climb up a roughly cut stair in the face of the cliff. At the top they found goats and a young boy. Seeing them the lad sprinted like an antelope across the scrubby pasture toward a group of low stone buildings surrounded by olive trees in the distance.
"I suspect we'll be welcomed warmly." Barbossa's tone put the lie to his words.
There was no sign of the young shepherd when the two pirates arrived at the buildings. In fact there was no sign of anyone. There were a dozen small houses all tolled. All had their doors shut.
"This be the one we want," Barbossa said as he went to the nearest house.
"How do you know?" Jack asked following him. For answer Barbossa pointed to a black cross painted above the door.
"It's unlocked," A man's voice called from within when they knocked. Barbossa pulled on the leather strap to release the latch and swung the door open. In the middle of the room by a table cluttered with pots and dishes and a variety of other things stood a stoop shouldered man in rough black and white robes. He had his back to them but as he turned, in his hands was a leveled blunderbuss.
"Thomas? I heard ye were a man o' peace now," Barbossa said in a chiding voice.
"Aye. But I am no fool," The robed man said. "It's been some time since I saw you last, Hector."
"It has. Six year I think."
"Who's this?" Thomas indicted Jack with his chin.
"Thomas, I present to ye Cpt Jack Sparrow. Master of the Black Pearl," Barbossa said with a flourish of his hand. Jack gave a very brief bow keeping his eyes on the blunderbuss.
"It's Brother Thomas now," The monk said mildly. "What brings you? Stomachache? Bloody flux?"
"Poison."
"I don't make poisons, Hector," Brother Thomas said scornfully. "I study the healing arts now."
"We're the ones who've been poisoned, Thomas," Barbossa said with a frown.
"Have you now?" The monk's eyes shifted as he considered this. "Who did you make angry?"
"It was by someone we don't actually know in fact," put in Jack, not liking to be left out of a conversation."A knight. One Sir Kaspar Sydney."
"My! You don't get into trouble by halves do you?" Brother Thomas looked back and forth between the pirates. "You want an antidote I'm sure."
"An antidote and some information," Barbossa proceeded to tell Brother Thomas all that had transpired aboard the Black Pearl in the night.
"Seven to ten days?" Thomas stared at them. "The man collapsed in a fit you say?"
"Aye. A fit and then he voided his bowels," Barbossa sneered at Jack as he saw his captain grimace at the memory of the man's death.
"Foamed at the mouth, voided his bowels, lips were blue. A number of poisons could cause any or all of those results." Finally Thomas slung the blunderbuss up and rested the butt in the crook of his arm so that the barrel was pointed to the rafters of the small room. "Kaspar was always a clever bastard."
"You know him then?" Jack said with a touch of surprise.
"Oh Kaspar and I go back many years." Brother Thomas walked around to the far side of the table and laid the weapon down next to a stack of books. "He was there the day I was wounded. I wasn't always a monk, Cpt. Sparrow. Once I owned a large house
with servants and men at my command. But the Lord helped me to see the error of my ways." At those words Thomas made the sign of the cross.
"How'd you end up here?" Jack wanted to know.
"Oh that!" The monk laughed. "As I said. I was wounded. I thought I would die. You know coming close to death the way I did can shift your priorities around. I realized that I had not been a very good man. I had been a good soldier and sailor but not a good man. I vowed that if I lived I would amend my ways. Instead of harming others and looking after only myself I would sell all of my worldly possessions and use those funds to help the needy and comfort the bereft. In His mercy God accepted my vow and so I am here. These people are at the heart of a conflict without end, captain. Many times in the past corsairs or men from the Order have come here to steal away what little these people have. Since I came to them those occasions have been far fewer and with less destruction when they do come. Praise be to God."
"Thomas, I don't mean to be pressing of ye but we were poisoned," Barbossa cut in before Jack could say any more.
"I'm afraid that there is really nothing I can do." Thomas lifted a few of the books out of the way and began turning pages in the one that had been uncovered.
"Nothing?" the pirates asked in unison.
"We don't know the poison and we aren't sure how much you actually ingested." Thomas turned another page. "Anything I give you could do more harm than good. It might go so far as to cause your death. I'm afraid the best advice I can offer is to get the falcon for Sir Kaspar. Though you must forgive me. I hope you fail."
"You what?" Jack was perplexed.
"Not because of what would happen to you. No. Not that." Thomas jabbed a finger at something on the page he had been reading. "Found it. Yes. As I feared. Kaspar didn't by chance tell you why he wants the falcon did he?"
"It's made of gold," Barbossa said. "Seems reason enough."
"For you or me. Well me of six years ago." Thomas smiled at them. "The falcon is not just a pretty statue with a lot of shinny gems on it. It's got one gem in particular. Mounted in the center of its chest. The gem isn't all that big. But according to what I have here it is supposed to be from a certain Muslim prince's treasury. Aalem Ahmad centuries ago had a spell placed on the gem so that whoever he gave the gem too would listen to him. He was able to influence people this way. Eventually the gem was taken from him by the Hospitlers. To make a long story short they learned what the gem could do and waited for an opportunity to put it to use. That's where the falcon comes in. They were going to use it to influence Charles V. Since they lost it though their influence waned until the order is what you yourselves have witnessed."
"Sir Kaspar, I think has some use for the gem," Jack said almost admiring the subtlety.
"Damned nonsense!" Barbossa barked. "Fairy stories is all. Sir Kaspar can't be belivin' in such."
"He may," The monk said quietly. "In any event. This doesn't change what you must do."